Fire extinguishing device



March 11, 1947. c MORTON FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE Filed March 12 Mom 144 Patented Mar. 11, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FIRE EXTINGUISHING DEVICE Charles R. Morton, Summit, N. J.

Application March 12, 1945, Serial No. 582,353

1 Claim. 1

, This invention relates to improvements in automatic fire extinguishing devices.

There has, heretofore, been presented automatic fire extinguishing devices which employ carbon tetrachloride or similar substances, for the fire extinguishing medium. Such devices have included a container of frangible material, such as thin glass or the like, which container is especially designed and constructed to fit the particular extinguishing device. When a fire occurs, or the device is otherwise placed in operation, the container is shattered and it is necessary to obtain a similar container of the same construction before the device can again. function. This is objectionable as such containers are not readily available in all localities, and the delay required in the shipment of containers from a central supply point may prove disastrous as a fire may occur in the meantime.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide a device which can be readily applied to any container of tetrachloride or similar material having a standard spout to produce an effective and satisfactory automatic fire extinguisher. For example, it is only necessary for a user to procure from any source of supply a container of extinguishing fluid and attach the device thereto.

A further object is to provide a device for attachment to standard containers, which device is described and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, forming a part hereof, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of one form of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawings, in Fig. l, the device is shown to comprise a casing I having a plurality of apertures 2. Screwed to the casing l is a cover I5 having a spout 3 adapted to screw on to or otherwise fit over a spout 4 of a container [6 of carbon tetrachloride or other fire extinguishing fluid. The cover I5 is provided with a fiange 5 encircling an opening in the cover communicating with the container. Positioned on the flange 5 is a washer 6 which is beneath a disc I of frangible material closing the container. On the disc I is a washer 8 which contacts the edge of the spout 4. This arrangement of washers is to provide a tight seal.

Projecting through an aperture in the cover is a pin 9 which is prevented from downward movement by a pin ID of metal fusible at a predetermined temperature. The lower end of the pin 9 is provided with a projection I I which passes through a loop ll integral with an arm 12 controlled by a torsion spring [3, of the mouse trap type. At the free end of the arm I2 is a sharp plunger I4.

In operation, the device, as can be seen, can be readily attached to any container having a standard spout. When a fire occurs and the temperature reaches a predetermined point, the fusible metal It! will melt, and the arm 12 will swing as indicated by dotted line, to shatter the frangible disc '5, allowing the extinguishing fluid to flow from the container into the casing I, from which it will exude through the apertures 2 to provide a blanket or umbrella effect to extinguish a fire. This feature is of importance as it prevents the extinguishing fluid from falling all at one time, and causes it to descend gradually and effectively extinguish the fire.

In Fig. 2 is shown a modified form of the invention in which the casing 20 has a cover 21 screwed thereon. The cover has a spout 28 attached to the spout 29 of a container 30. The manner of attaching the cover to the container is substantially the same as described in connection with Fig. 1. However, the shattering means is arranged differently. In the form shown in Fig. 2 the casing 20 has a plurality of apertures 2|, and a fiange 22 encircling a small aperture through which passes a pin 24 encircled by a compression spring 3| encased in a tubular projection 23 from the bottom of the casing. The pin 24 has a head 25 which bears downwardly on the spring 3| and the pin 24 is held in the downward position by a fusible metal pin 26 passing through pin, 24 and engaging the bottom of the casing. When the temperature reaches a predetermined point, the pin 26 will melt and the head 25 will be forced upwardly by the spring 3| to shatter the frangible disc 32 in the spout to allow the extinguishing fluid to pass from the container to the casing.

From the above description it will be seen that there has been provided a simple and effective device which can be readily attached to the spout of any standard type to produce an automatic fire extinguisher.

The above description is to be considered as illustrative and not limitative of the invention, of which modification may be made without departing from the spirit and scope as set forth in the appended claim.

The invention having been described, what is claimed is:

7 a plurality of side and downward openings, a cover threaded on to the upper portion of the casing, a spout on the cover in threaded engagement with the spout on the container, a shoulder on the cover, a disc of frangible material resting on the shoulder and abutting the spout on the container, said cover having an aperture, a pin passing through the cover and having a loop at its lower end, an arm in the casing having a projection engaging the loop, fusible metal means passing through the pin and engaging the upper surface of the cover to prevent downward movement of the pin, and a spring to force the arm to break 4 the frangible disc when the fusible metal melts to allow the pin to move downward.

CHARLES R. MORTON.

Morton Sept. 5, 1944 

